CHINA’S installed solar power-generating capacity has now surpassed coal, the National Energy Administration (NEA) has announced.

By the end of July the NEA said photovoltaic generating capacity had hit 1,288 gigawatts (GW) compared to 1,285GW for coal. Its solar power capacity is by far the greatest in the world, and greater than the combined capacity of all European Union states put together.

The milestone shows China’s transition to renewables continues to gather pace, with combined wind and solar only exceeding coal last year.

Generating capacity and actual power generation are distinct, with solar power still subject to far greater fluctuation depending on the weather. Burning coal remains the single biggest source of energy in China’s power mix, but in the first six months of 2026 it fell to 49.7 per cent, generating less than half the power in China for the first time. Actual solar power generation hit 802.4GW from January to July, a 15.5 per cent increase on the same period in 2025.